Each group needs:

• 3 500-ml clear water bottles
• 0.5 meters of thin tubing, such as fish tank aeration tubing, which is reusable and can be used for a number of other activities; such as aquarium airline tubing with 0.165-inch inner diameter and 0.225-inch outer diameter, available in various lengths from https://www.petmountain.com/product/lees-airline-tubing-for-aquariums
• 1 aeration pump for an aquarium, such as the Tetra Whisper Air Pump for $6-$20 each at https://www.petmountain.com/product/tetra-whisper-aquarium-air-pump-non-ul
• 1 aeration stone, such as Penn Plax Aqua Mist Airstone Cylinders, 7/16-inch cylinder, 4-pack for $3 at https://www.petmountain.com/product/penn-plax-aqua-mist-airstone-cylinder
• Energy from Algae?! Worksheet, one per student
• 1 color scale; cut from the color-printed Algae Color Identification Scale (nine scales per sheet)
• The Great Algae Race Data Sheet, one per group

To share with the entire class:

• (optional) computer with Internet access and projector to show students a short online video
• pond water, collected from a local pond, lake or river
• large bottle(s) for collecting pond water; enough for 200 ml per group
• bucket of tap water that has been left sitting out at room temperature for 24 hours (to help the chlorine dissipate); need at least 1.27 liters per group
• graduated cylinder
• coffee filter, to filter the pond water
• large Mason jar(s) or other soda or water bottles, to hold the filtered pond water
• liquid plant fertilizer, any type
• spoon
• permanent markers, for marking plastic bottles
• graph paper, colored pencils/markers, for plotting graphs
• bleach, a small amount to add to the photobioreactor bottle contents (algae) before disposal